Franklin County Cyclists: pedaling for fitness and friendship

The Franklin County Cyclists is a group of bike enthusiasts who have found a way to improve their physical and mental health by engaging in an activity that also provides, enjoyment and camaraderie, and contributes to the welfare of county residents.

The group was founded by Karen Keefer, an operating room nurse, who has also proven to be the glue that has kept the group together for nine years. It all started when Keefer read a newspaper article claiming that nurses, in general, were overweight, in poor physical condition and didn’t practice what they preached.

Shortly after reading the article Keefer, who is a dedicated bike rider and a former triathlon participant, went on a bike ride in Carlisle and noticed that it was sponsored by the Carlisle Hospital.

“I thought well, maybe I could put a bike club together in Chambersburg. We ended up getting sponsored by Highmark Blue Shield. The first year we ended up with a hundred people in our bike club.”

Franklin County Cyclists hit the road.(Photo: Submitted)

All welcome

In the beginning the group was known as the Summit Health Bike Club. But as the club continued to grow it became necessary to install some official structure. “So we went out on our own,” Keefer said, “and became a nonprofit organization and opened up membership to everyone.”

The club’s main rides are on Tuesday evenings from late April through mid September. They start at 5:30 p.m. with five levels of riders ranging from A, the longest ride for experienced riders; down to E, the shortest ride for folks who need some instruction. All five levels start, and end, at the same location.

The sites for the rides are moved around Franklin County. They have 15 different starting locations. The location for any given Tuesday is posted on the club’s web site, www.franklincountycyclists.org.

“Everyone signs in when they start and when they come home so no one is left out on the trail,” Jack Dortch said. “There is also mileage information on each level of ride and there are cue sheets which tell you all of the turns and how far it is between them.”

Karen Keefer, a nurse who founded Franklin County Cyclists, addresses the group before a ride.(Photo: Submitted)

Safety first

There are two non-negotiable rules for riders: everyone must wear a helmet and there are to be no ear buds. ”Safety is very important to us,” said Ron Gipe. “This bike club originated as a wellness club for Summit Health. The remnants of that are still here. And there is always someone riding SAG.”

For the July 26 ride from Antrim Township Park, Melissa Murray served as the SAG. “'SAG,'” she explained, “stands for 'Support and Gear.' So I’ll have a first aid kit, bike parts and water. If anyone gets lost or breaks down, I’ll get a phone call and I’ll go and help. The SAG driver’s phone number is at the bottom of the cue sheets. I enjoy the club. I love the camaraderie and being with other people who love to cycle.”

Many and varied benefits

The club does charity work that benefits local residents. “We have a lot of events in addition to the Tuesday night rides,” Keefer said. “The Breast Cancer Ride is our biggest event, and 100 percent of the proceeds from that go to women in the Franklin County area. We just had our sixth annual Breast Cancer Ride in June, where we raised over $10,000."

Not only does cycling promote health, it also appears to help with recuperation. A number of members have experienced serious health and life issues - issues that might well have caused the average person to conclude that biking was a little outside their comfort level.

Keefer was on a cross country ride with her husband when she was hit by a car. She broke her elbow and two ribs. On that same ride, her husband died from cardiac arrest. Then later, she got breast cancer and had major surgery. But Keefer said, “It never crossed my mind to stop riding.”

Ron Gipe had some health issues and the doctor wanted him to exercise. “My son is a big time rider,” he said, “and he was riding in this group and suggested I join them. Then I had a blocked artery and they had to surgically open it. But I never thought about not getting back on the bike again. I’m an extrovert and I enjoy the friendship and the fellowship of this great bunch of people.”

Jack Dortch has been an a-fib patient for 25 years. His condition had been controlled by medication, but then the medication stopped working. “Then I had a two-step procedure to fix the electrical misconnection on the outside and then on the inside of the heart,” he said. “Now I’m back riding three days a week, but on a flatter, shorter route. I expect to be back to my former level by October.”

Crystal Yoder rides, even though she is presently on dialysis. “Bike riding is good for people on dialysis,” she said. ”When I come straight here from dialysis I might feel a little woozy, but actually I feel better having done it. If I didn’t ride I'd probably just be sitting on the couch.”

Josh Spencer, known as the Banana Guy, is a fixture at all of the rides. He brings a supply of bananas that are quickly scarfed up. Spencer owns Quick Release Bicycles. “If anyone needs anything I take care of it,” he said. “But I would be out here if I owned the business or not. I just like hitting the wall and pushing through it."

If anyone is interested in joining the Franklin County Cyclists, Keefer said there are a number of ways to go about it. “They could just come to a ride and check us out and see if they like it. If they do, I have membership forms at all of the rides. Or they can download a membership form from our on line site www.franklincountycyclists.org.“